“Red Sands: An Orbs Prequel” by Nicholas Sansbury Smith is another prequel to his excellent ORBS series. Like the rest of the series it is well written with great suspense and a gripping dramatic curve. After “White Sands” brothers Jeff and David have some more nail biting adventures, this time involving alien spiders/ the organics. Additional episodes to a series are a hit and miss for me but this prequel adds nicely to the characterisation and the plot. If you read and enjoyed any of the ORBS books don’t miss out on this little gem.

After reading the previous volumes, I had to pick up vol 8, Peter - Goblin Power. The author has a definite richness to his writing that is rarely seen. Images will be formed in your mind as pictures are painted to create worlds of enchantment that feel as real as the one in which you stand. The introduction of Peter's Goblins gradually steers the storyline from innocence toward the darker side of fairytales. Without doubt, it is a book for children, slightly scary stories to be read in a dimly lit room and wait as the magic flows from these clever short stories. Adults will love these poems and all these books are brilliant for parents to read to the kids.

“I John Culpepper” by Lori Crane is a well-researched and detailed account of John Culpepper early life. A man born into a rich and privileged family whose desire is to buy a ship and sail the world.

The book is part of a series and leads up to the point where Culpepper makes an important decision about his future. As fictionalised biography the story does not follow so much a dramatic curve but the real events and character development that leads Culpepper on his chosen path.

He and his friends are interesting characters and the story gives a good impression of life in the early 17th century. Tradition, trade and historical figures all blend into this wonderful novel that should please history lovers.

“The Drowned Phoenician Sailor” by Lesley Hayes is a remarkable book and a real treat. Character driven and with focus on their development this is just my type of novel. The reader is allowed to get insight into the thoughts and background of the protagonists through the analytical and reflective narrative that provides substance and much food for thought. A huge fan of novels that use psychology and / or spiritualist themes I was extremely happy to find both of these themes in this novel. We witness a few months in the life of Fynn/ Fiona during which she has contact with the dead, namely her sister and her psychologist, while she also meets a man and learns to loosen up a little. Partaking in her development has been a privilege, thanks to the sensitive and yet entertaining writing skills of the author. For me the most enjoyable parts were the many great discussions between the characters. It’s the sort of book to read with a pen in your hand to underline the many wonderful lines you wish to remember and write down later. Full of insight in human nature and psychology and full of warmth this is a treasure to cherish for me.

“Escape From the Future: The Clown Caper” by Dean C. Moore is yet another imaginative science fiction fantasy novel by a truly gifted writer. The idea of humans living as a purely digital versions of themselves without the shortcomings of their mortal and fragile bodies has been around for a while but I have never read a book that did it so well.As our technology advances at such speedy rates in the real world, writers of futuristic science fiction have a tough job coming up with good plots. The thought of the many parallel fantasy worlds available to the digital humans in this book sounded very fascinating to me. I’m sure this would indeed attract a large number of people who’d take up that offer from Mother, the sentient internet. Bringing in evil clowns into the plot is exactly the odd humorous thing that is Moore’s speciality. While we’re confronted with themes that deserve some deeper thought and deliberation we’re always entertained, either by humour or exciting action and suspense. Who knows how long it will be before brains can be scanned or connected to machines. Artificial intelligence and medical research are far advanced and so the novel had a huge fascination for me on many levels. This being presented in an intellectual yet light-hearted way has made the novel a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

“Salby Damned” by Ian D. Moore is a fascinating and breath-taking thriller that blends environmental and humanitarian issues into a gripping Zombie story line. The Shale Gas Fracking Corporation’s drilling has catastrophic viral consequences and a cure must be found while humans have to defend themselves against the Zombies. With two interesting main characters, a freelancing journalist and a council leader, the book has also a spark of romance flying around and great chemistry. They are very likeable and not your usual stereotypes, giving the story more bite and substance. If you like a good Zombie story, stories about corrupt corporations, great heroes and good action then this is definitely for you. Enjoy.

I read “Guardian” by Gillian Joy after having read the sequel ‘Forever’, which I enjoyed despite reading it out of sequence. Now it was like reading a prequel that explained our main character Hannah some more. Reading it this way is possible and “Guardian” was as much fun as ‘Forever’ was. Hanna is an excellent protagonist for a supernatural series. Coming from a long line of protectors she has a lot of responsibilities, although she is young and has feelings. Those feelings aren’t what she is supposed to feel – and I shall leave it at that. The plot is for you to discover. It’s a great story and the characters, particularly love interests, are all really interesting. A very entertaining and pleasant read, highly recommended for fans of Vampires, werewolves and all things supernatural.

“One Night in the Hill Country,” by Felipe Adan Lerma is a short and dark thriller about a woman and her four young cousins. Out on a harmless journey they are getting into serious trouble when stopping at the vineyard of two somewhat dubious siblings. Under their influence our young heroes end up being used as human baits in an attempt to catch child abusers. Tackling issues such as child abuse and illegal immigration the book throws in some interesting thoughts and reflective notes while keeping the suspense going with an intense and urgent writing style. With its fast pace and gripping storyline the book delivers some serious entertainment. Very impressive.

“Tower of Tears” by Rhoda D’Ettore is a gripping historical saga about an Irish woman, Jane McClusky who emigrates to Philadelphia in the 1820s. An unexpected pregnancy, discovered on her passage to the US, weakens her prospects of a successful and prosperous life and gets her into an awful situation. The book shows perfectly the moral and sexist views of the time. With great sensitivity and insight this book is thought provoking as it is entertaining. Jane’s pregnancy and work life however are only a part of the rich and twisted plot that involves a lot more drama and complications. A powerful and gripping read.

“Nightmares of Caitlin Lockyer (Nightmares Trilogy Book 1)” by Demelza Carlton is a gripping thriller about a young girl being found on a beach. Caitlin only just survived her dreadful ordeal. Her saviour, Nathan, lost his sister in a brutal murder but now becomes the main suspect in the police investigation. This complicates his mission to protect Caitlin and find out more information from her in his quest to find the real killer. The book is very well written with an excellent narrative. Nathan is a voice I found easy to listen to, his thoughts and his perspective made this a compelling and gripping read. I understand that the next book will change the perspective, which is a hard act to follow but which also sounds like an intriguing concept for the sequel. I look forward to it. Definitely recommended.

In Search of a Revolution, by Christoph Fischer, is not only an important historical drama about the Finnish involvement in WW2, but is also a story about the search for justice, and the pitfalls of blindly following an ideology. Zacharius, a young man from a wealthy family, and his friend Ansgar, the son of a pig farmer, are both idealists looking to make their world a better place but with a different way of seeing things. One is a communist, the other a fascist, but they remain friends regardless of their opposite views. Raisa, a young nurse who befriends both of them, sees first hand the pain and suffering experienced by the innocent victims of those who impose their visions on others, and never hesitates to come to their aid of the wounded.

This book presents a stark view of the horrors of war experienced by a part of the world that is rarely mentioned in out history books, and because of this—an important read.

"The Lei Crime Series: A Snake in Paradise (Kindle Worlds Novella)" by Eden Baylee is a very impressive crime novella set in Hawaii. It starts with a powerful prologue which features a woman waking up tied up. It leaves the reader with a lot of questions and curiosity for the chapters to come.Then the actual story begins. Recently divorced Lainey Lee arrives in Hawaii, with a pinch of bitterness and reflection and an appetite to enjoy herself.She has a snake tattoo that was given to her by her best friend in a symbolic gesture of redefining herself and finding herself.I've read about the book on the author's blog before its released and have speculated about the title of a 'snake in paradise' for some time. There were also music lyrics mentioned in her blog post that befit the theme of dealing with a snake. And a snake will be found indeed. As single woman Lainet soon gets attention from men on the island, some unwanted and some wanted, which kicks of the mystery and suspense part of the story.Written with great sensitivity the characters are excellently drawn, the dialogues are sharp and poignant and the plot is well thought out.An engaging, entertaining and stimulating read. Very enjoyable.

“Behind the Bar” by P.C. Zick is the second in the “Behind the Bar” Series. After “Behind the Altar” this book brings more romance and complications to life. The day that Dean and Leah are getting married Susie’s sister Lisa returns, initiating thought processes in Susie that rock the foundations of her life. This book focuses on the relationship between Susie and Reggie, which comes under scrutiny and threat as the past catches up with the two and their insecurities and doubts come into play. Several sub-plots add a very dynamic character to the book that makes for a very smooth and enjoyable reading experience. While being a thoroughly entertaining romance at heart, the novel shows a writer with much insight into human nature and psychology, which makes the characters so utterly relatable and the story so much more interesting than many others in the genre. An enjoyable and thoughtful romance.

“The Henchmen” by Eric Lahti is a hugely enjoyable read. Lahti provides a cast of memorable and entertaining characters that could carry a series without the need for a plot. In the book they form an unlikely team of henchmen that provide excellent action, some fantasy/ supernatural elements and a very good, although somewhat ‘evil’ plot concerning the US Congress. The book is instantly likeable with its dark humour and the best ‘bad guys’ you could possibly read about. I hate to use the phrase in reviews, but I couldn’t put the book down once I had started and I read it in almost one sitting. His characters are watchable, memorable and have a presence, you can imagine them easily with the excellent details attributed to them.

The book is great fun, written in an accessible and enjoyable way in a fast pace that keeps you running along until the very end. Humour and thrillers don’t often blend well but here they truly do.

“Human Sacrifice” by M. Elaine Moore starts on a grim note when L.A.P.D. detective Aubri Payton’s work partner of several years dies in action. Worse, she can’t stand his replacement but is forced to work with him while dealing with her grief.

The characters are set up instantly with viewpoints that allow the reader more insights. Their relationship develops gradually, providing much more depth than most cop dramas do. The chemistry between them develops on a believable pace and was one of the best parts of this book. They are well chosen protagonists.

The plot takes the pair into danger and forces them to extreme action and choices. Great suspense and some explicit scene may make this unsuitable for the faint-hearted readers but a gripping read for the rest of us. Well done.

"Soft Serve Sweetie: (Plus Size Romance #2)" by Lynn Cooper is another great love story in this extremely likeable and hugely enjoyable series about plus sized women. Romance is best when it comes unexpected and rocks your world and this happens when our heroine crashes into a police car. Officer Zane to her rescue as she is with an undeserving man who reinforces her self-doubts rather than makes her feel sexy. Enter Zane and you have a hot and feel-good romance par excellence. Explicit but more romantic than erotic this is great stuff that really hits home a few truth about love and sex while keeping you pleasantly entertained. A wonderful series for fans of romance, in all shapes and sizes. I don't often read romance but this is not to be missed.